The Minnesota DFL is building upon recent historic victories and is preparing to re-elect President Biden, re-elect US Senator Amy Klobuchar, re-elect our Congressional delegation, and sustain our DFL House majority in 2024. To lay the groundwork for next year’s elections, the Minnesota DFL is making a historic half-a-million dollar, off-year investment to train the next cohort of Minnesota political operatives. 

The Minnesota DFL has recruited a diverse group of individuals to serve as Wellstone Academy Fellows.  Wellstone Academy Fellows will complete an intensive 32 week training curriculum designed by top trainers and campaign operatives from around the nation.  This fellowship will train new and future campaign staff on the skills needed to be successful in professional electoral organizing such as, planning and executing direct voter contact; targeting; data and analytics; volunteer recruitment, retention, and management; transactional vs. relational organizing models; selecting and working with vendors and consultants; digital tools for campaigning; and turning a campaign job into a political career. 

Each Wellstone Academy Fellow will be provided compensation to participate in the program.  By offering a paid, part-time fellowship, we hope to remove many of the barriers that prevent historically under-represented communities from entering a career in politics.

Wellstone Academy Fellows will be matched with a 2024 staff position on a DFL candidate campaign, a DFL legislative caucus campaign, or the DFL Coordinated Campaign as recommended by the program directors. Wellstone Academy will be piloted by longtime DFL Party staff, Alyse Maye Quade and Trista Schwind.